Audio Webcast Interview This Week: Larry Cuban, author of “Oversold and Underused” (Via Steve Hargadon.) Steve Hargadon’s list of audio webcast interviews is growing, and its already an amazing list. I was surprised to see he interviewed Larry Cuban, who I sometimes quote in teacher trainings. The book “Oversold and Underused” is right here on my shelf. It’s one of the only Ed Tech books I’ve ever found in a Barnes and Noble. At any rate, the book seems on the surface to say that computers have been oversold to schools, but his message was really that they are underused (in a nutshell). Some quotes I often share are these:
Computers are merely souped-up typewriters and classrooms continue to run much as they did a generation ago.
Students and teachers use new technologies far less in the classroom than they do at home.
Teachers who use computers for instruction do so infrequently and unimaginatively.
The first one I’ve taken a bit out of context so I can generate reactions from workshop participants (usually administrators in this case) and then I follow it up with the complete quote:
When teachers are not given a say in how technology might be used, computers are merely souped-up typewriters and classrooms continue to run much as they did a generation ago.
This generates a whole different discussion, including elements important to building professional learning communities.
In any case, I’m sure the Larry Cuban interview will be though provoking, and I hope others will take advantage of the resource Steve is creating and sharing in this series of interviews.